Met a woman who you think is an absolute bombshell but you do not want to approach her as you fear she will shoot you down, cause you think she is out of your league? Or have you been friends with a woman whom you really like and have been parked in the friend zone?

According to a study done by the University of Texas, researchers found that getting to know a woman before asking her on a date could count in your favour. As it could make you seem more attractive; suggesting that it could pay to be in the friend zone at times.

In this study, couples were rated on their attractiveness by judges; those who started dating soon after they met each other were rated as pretty equal in terms of attractiveness. Couples that were friends before they entered into a romantic relationship had distinct scores in the looks department.

How could the friend zone pay off for you? Well average- looking people might start dating right away after meeting each other but an attractive woman and let’s say a ‘average Joe’ might wait a few months before deciding to get romantically involved.

Need real-life proof of this theory? It has worked for some celebrities like Jay Z and Beyonce, and the infamous Hugh Hefner.

According to study co-author, Lucy Hunt, Ph.D. (c): “Playing the long game allows for other factors, like your killer charm and stellar personality, to shine through and alter someone’s initial superficial judgment of you.”

If you give her time to get to know you, the more she will like you and start to find you attractive. Slow and steady wins the race, here, slick. A couples therapist, Melissa Schnieder, says that you should put yourself in a women’s orbit if you looking to join the friend zone.

You should not focus all your energy on one woman, so keep playing the field as you do not want to wait on a relationship that might not develop. Researchers found that if it has been more than 17 months and mutual attraction has not stirred up yet then it might be time to move on.